It seems premature to say the Black Friday sales and Black Friday ads have come and gone, but the doorbusters are largely a thing of the past at this point. Yes, some of Walmart’s Black Friday sales and a few of Best Buy’s Black Friday discounts are still available online (read about them here), but the brick-and-mortar stuff is a thing of the past. The biggest Black Friday sales, for all intents and purposes, are done. In memory of those Black Friday sales at Walmart, Best Buy, Target and others, let’s take a quick tongue-in-cheek look at the deals that were, but are no more.
From Walmart to Best Buy and from Kmart to Target, here are what the biggest stores were offering on electronics and games this Black Friday. This includes the Black Friday doorbuster deals as well. Quantities were limited and offers were subject to change, but Black Friday shoppers have largely taken advantage of a lot of these. Maybe there’s something here, though, that is both still available and on your shopping list.
Walmart’s Black Friday Sales on Electronics and Games
Walmart is scheduled to start its Black Friday sales at midnight on Black Friday (the middle of the night on Thanksgiving), and some big sales are going down right off the bat. The biggest Black Friday discounts will hit “later” in the day, with the doorbuster bargains available from 5am to 11am. (or while supplies last) at all Walmart locations. Also, many of Walmart’s Black Friday sales will actually spill into the entire post-Thanksgiving weekend.
Among the specials at Walmart this Black Friday are a Magnavox Wi-Fi Blu-ray player for a measly $68, a 42-inch Emerson 1080p LCD HDTV for $398, a 42-inch LG 1080p LCD HDTV for $478, and an HP 15.6-inch 250GB laptop for $298. Walmart’s Black Friday doorbusters will include $7 and $8 videogames, Blu-ray Disc movies for $5 and $10, and more than 90 DVDs for $1.96. Seriously, that pricing is nuts, so you’d best get to Walmart early for those games and Blu-rays if those items are tops on your Black Friday shopping list. Other stores have Blu-ray sales this Black Friday (as you’ll see below), but none of their discounts are that deep.
Walmart’s other midnight specials include Zhu Zhu Pet toy hamsters for $4, $5 Barbie dolls and kids clothing for $4. One of the deals available at Walmart only on Saturday is a Sony 46-inch 1080p LCD HDTV for $698. That’s a screaming deal on any HDTV, but a 46-inch Sony HDTV at that price is unheard of.
Best Buy’s Black Friday Sales
Best Buy is pretty much the Mecca for home electronics and gadgets, so their Black Friday specials are geared more toward HDTVs and gadgets than games and movies. However, that’s not to say they don’t have any Black Friday deals on games or bundles. As with the Walmart roundup above, this Best Buy Black Friday list is pared-down to focus on games and home-theater-like electronics; Best Buy certainly has more Black Friday electronics specials than what’s listed here. However, even if this were the full list of Best Buy’s Black Friday sale items, we’d still be happy. Check it out:
- EA and EA Sports Games for Xbox 360 or PS3 for $34.99 (early-bird Doorbuster item only)
- Assorted Xbox 360, Wii and PS3 games for $9.99
- Assorted Xbox 360, Wii and PS3 games for $16.99
- Assorted Xbox 360 and PS3 games for $29.99
- Assorted Xbox 360, Wii and PS3 games for $39.99
- Nintendo DSi Mario Party Bundle (Green) for $149.99
- Nintendo DSi Mario Party Bundle (Red)
for $149.99
- Nintendo Wii Console Bundle (Black or White) for $169.99 (early-bird Doorbuster item only)
- PlayStation 3 160GB System Bundle with two games for $299.99
- Xbox 360 4GB System Bundle with three games for $199.99
- Assorted Blu-ray movies (Superbad, Watchmen, Gran Torino and more) for $7.99
- Assorted Blu-ray movies (Saving Private Ryan, Predators and more) for $9.99 (early-bird Doorbuster item only)
- Assorted Blu-ray movies (Killers, Kick-Ass, Taken, Legion, Role Models and more) for $9.99 (the doorbuster movies above will increase in price after the early-bird hours)
- Assorted Blu-ray movies (Hangover, District 9, Funny People, Blind Side and more) for $12.99
- Panasonic Viera 50″ Widescreen 1080p Plasma HDTV
for $699.99 (early-bird Doorbuster item only)
- LG 32″ Widescreen 1080p LCD HDTV for $379.99
- Panasonic Viera 46″ 720p Plasma HDTV for $499.99
- Samsung 46″ Widescreen 1080p LCD HDTV for $797.99
- Samsung 55″ Class LED HDTV for $1,499.99
- Sony 46″ Widescreen 1080p LCD TV for $698.99
- Toshiba 55″ Widescreen 1080p LCD HDTV for $969.99
- Acer 20″ Widescreen LCD monitor for $89.99
- Netgear Wireless-N Dual-Band Broadband Router
for $59.99
- Samsung 23″ Widescreen LCD Monitor for $139.99
- Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 2TB USB 3.0 HDD for $89.99
- Western Digital 1TB My Passport USB HDD for $89.99
- Western Digital 1TB SATA Hard Drive for $59.99
- Apple iMac 21.5″ All-in-One Desktop and Free $125 Gift Card for $1,199.99
- Dynex 7″ Widescreen Digital Photo Frame for $29.99
- Flip Video UltraHD 3rd Generation Video Camera for $99.99 (a kit with extras will set you back $119.97)
- Insignia Blu-ray Disc Player with WiFi for $89.99
- Pioneer 550-Watt 5.1 Channel 3D-Ready Receiver for $199.99
- Samsung 1000-Watt Blu-ray Home Theater System for $297.99
- Sony Blu-ray Disc Player for $99.99
- Sony HandyCam HDR-CX150 HD Camcorder
for $399.99 (with extras, it’ll cost $459.96)
- Sony Internet TV Blu-ray Disc Player with Google TV for $299.99
- Toshiba BD-X1100 Blu-ray Disc Player
for $59.99 (early-bird Doorbuster item only)
- Apple MacBook Pro 13.3″ Laptop with 4GB, 250GB and Free $125 Gift Card for $1,199.99
- Sony 15.5″ Dual-Core Laptop with 3GB, 320GB, DVD+R for $399.99 (early-bird Doorbuster item only)
- Sony 15.5″ Dual-Core Laptop with 4GB, 320GB, Blu-ray and a bag for $499.99 (early-bird Doorbuster item only)
The combination of Black Friday doorbuster deals and all-day sales at Best Buy is pretty impressive, particularly where games are concerned. But those Blu-ray prices and the Pioneer 3D-ready receiver deal are incredible. So far, this Black Friday sale cheat sheet tells us we’re going to be busy this weekend….
Target’s Black Friday sales — some of which actually started Sunday!
Target is giving Black Friday shoppers a head start this year with savings on a variety of electronics, but their Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 discounts are particularly sweet. And yes, Target’s Black Friday sales include the new Xbox 360 Kinect. Here are the sales you can get at Target before Black Friday even hits:
- Free $30 Target Gift Card with the purchase of 4GB Xbox 360 Kinect bundle
(includes system, Kinect sensor, game and wireless controller)
- Free $10 Target Gift Card with the purchase of Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Wii
- $20 off any Wii game system (with coupon)
- $20 off the purchase of any two Xbox 360 controllers (with coupon)
- DJ Hero 2 Turntable Bundle (Xbox360/PS3/Wii) for $75 (save $25)
- Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock Guitar Bundle (Xbox 360/PS3/Wii) for $75 (save $25)
- Nintendo DSi (White) on sale for $119 (save $30)
- NBA 2K11, FIFA Soccer 11, Madden 11, NCAA Football 11, NHL 11, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, EA Sports MMA (Xbox 360/PS3) on sale for $42 each (save $18)
On the gadget front, the following “Black Friday” specials actually started yesterday (Nov. 21) at Target:
- Garmin nüvi 255W Portable GPS Navigation System
with 4.3″ touch screen for $99
- RCA 10″ portable Blu-ray player with HDMI connection (plays Blu-ray discs and DVDs at home or on-the-go) on sale for $199 (save $100)
Starting Black Friday and continuing through the weekend, Target will have the following items on sale. Keep in mind, of course, that Target has a lot more than this on sale this Black Friday, but this list is geared toward games, Blu-ray and HDTVs rather than sweatshirts and underwear.
- Sony PS3 160GB Holiday Bundle with a PS3 game and Blu-ray Movie for $299.99
- Sony PSP Holiday Bundle with LittleBigPlanet, 1GB Card and a Movie for $127.00
- Xbox 360 4GB Console
for $199.99 — but it includes a Free $50 Gift Card
- Dance Central for Xbox 360 Kinect
with Free $10 Gift Card $49.99
- Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood for $59.99 — and it comes with a Free $10 Gift Card
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 for $59.99 — and it comes with a Free $10 Gift Card (the Wii version with Gift Card is $49.99)
- New Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo Wii for $49.99 — and it comes with a Free $10 Gift Card
- Various Video Games for DS, Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 for $17
- Various Video Games for Xbox 360, Wii & Sony PS3 for $27
- Various Video Games for Xbox 360, Wii & Sony PS3 for $35
- Just Dance 2 for Nintendo Wii for $39.99 — and it comes with a Free $10 Gift Card
- PS3 Dual Shock Wireless Controller for $39
- Xbox 360 Black Wireless Controller for $39
- Wii Remote Plus Game Controller with the game FlingSmash for $39
- Various Nintendo DS Video Games for $7
- Canon SX120 10MP Digital Camera
with 10x zoom for $129
- Apple iPod nano 8GB MP3 Player with a Free $15 Gift Card for $145
- Apple iPod touch 8GB MP3 Player with a Free $30 Gift Card for $225
- Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel on Blu-ray for $10
- Various Board Games for $15
- Samsung 32″ 720p LCD HDTV for $327.99
- Westinghouse 40″ 1080p LCD HDTV for $298
- Samsung 32″ 720p LCD HDTV for $327.99
- Sony BDP-S370 WiFi Ready Blu-ray Disc Player for $99
- Philips Dual-Screen Portable DVD Player for $85.00
- Philips Speaker with Rotating iPod/iPhone Dock for $69.99
For those of you taking notes, that’s a bunch of games and electronics on sale at Target on Black Friday, and those HDTV sales are especially great. However, that’s just one store, and we have a lot of Black Friday doorbusters still to cover. Truly, how are shoppers supposed to hit all these stores in one weekend? We have two more Black Friday sales recaps still to cover below, and there’s no way people will be able to logistically hit all these deals. So scour these lists diligently.
Kmart’s Black Friday Sales
This is the 19th year Kmart will be open on the Thanksgiving holiday, but Kmart will also offer pre-Thanksgiving sales and three separate days of doorbuster deals this weekend. There are actually quite a few Black Friday sales being offered by Kmart this year, but it’s impressive to see just how many Black Friday sales and Thanksgiving Weekend doorbuster deals they’re running this year. Check them out:
-
Thanksgiving Day Sales
- Panasonic 46″ Plasma HDTV for $499.99 (reg. $699.99) plus get 50,000 Shop Your Way Rewards points (a $50 value)
- 7″ Netbook for just $89.99 (reg. price $109.99)
- $25 Nintendo gaming coupon with purchase of any Nintendo Wii system
- $25 gaming coupon when you buy an Xbox 360 4GB Kinect bundle
- $15 gaming coupon when you buy a Microsoft Kinect sensor
-
Black Friday Sales
- Zenith 42″ Plasma HDTV for $399.99 (reg. price $549.99). This is a doorbuster deal from 4am to 12 Noon only
- 7″ Android Tablet for $139.99 (reg. price $179.99). This is a doorbuster deal from 5am to 11am only
- Limited Edition Nintendo DSi Holiday Bundle for $149.99, including Mario Party and a $25 Gaming Coupon. This is a Black Friday doorbuster deal only from 5am to 11am only
- Get a $25 gaming coupon when you buy any Nintendo DSi holiday bundle. This is a doorbuster deal available only from 5am to 11am only
- Xbox 360 4GB console bundled with Call of Duty: Black Ops for $199.99. Available Friday and Saturday only
- FREE GE C1033 10MP Digital Camera
($69.99 value) when you buy a GE X5 Power Pro Series 14MP Digital Camera
for $149.99. Available Friday and Saturday only.
- Saturday After Thanksgiving Doorbuster Sales
- Cobra DVC910 Camcorder
for $29.99 (reg. price $39.99). Offer only valid from 6am to 12 Noon
Kmart doesn’t seem to have the biggest Black Friday sales, at least not on the gaming and electronics front, but if you’re going to be there for clothing or toys, you now have a better idea of the other things you should keep an eye out for while you’re there.
Sears’ Black Friday Sales
This year marks the first year Sears will be open on Thanksgiving Day, but like Kmart, Sears is offering some pre-Thanksgiving Day deals and three separate days of doorbusters. Sears may be in somewhat of the same boat as Kmart when it comes to games and electronics, but it’s still worth knowing what’s cooking at the house that Craftsman built, because you’ll probably pass one of them this weekend.
-
Pre-Thanksgiving Day Deals
- Sony 46″ 1080p LED HDTV for $899.99 (reg. price $1699.99)
- Panasonic 58″ 1080p Plasma HDTV for $1099.99 (reg. price $1799.99) plus two bonus Blu-Ray Discs: Kingdom of Heaven and Independence Day. Total savings = $744.98
- Zenith 50″ Plasma HDTV for $499.99 (reg. price $699.99)
- RCA 19″ LCD HDTV for $129.99 (reg. price $199.99)
- Sony SR68 Camcorder for $239.99 (reg. price $329.99)
- Motorola TN765T GPS (5.1-inch screen)
for $149.99 (reg. price $249.99)
- Zenith 42″ Plasma HDTV for $399.99 (available only from 4am to 12 Noon)
- RCA 24″ 1080p LED HDTV for $229.99 (reg. price $299.99) (available only from 4am to 12 Noon)
- Velocity Micro 7″ Android Tablet for $249.99 (reg. price $299.99) (available only from 4am to 12 Noon)
- RCA 32″ LCD HDTV for $297 (reg. price $399.99)
Thanksgiving Day Doorbuster Sales (7am to 12 Noon only)
Saturday After Thanksgiving Doorbuster Deal (7am to 12 Noon only)
So there you have it: a comprehensive roundup of the Black Friday sales and Black Friday Doorbusters “that were.” It’s not necessarily a post-mortem, but it sure feels like it. And hey, if you’re out there still looking for gadgets and games, here are some things for you to sort through.
— Jonas Allen
